1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to conveying apparatus and, more particularly, is directed to conveying apparatus used in connection with mobile articulated conveyors and their attendant stationary conveyors for conveying mined materials within a mine.
2. Description of the Invention Background
In the materials mining industry, especially in the underground mining of coal or the like, belt conveyors are used to transport the mined ore out of the mine. In particular, during the early stages of mine development, main haulageways are initially developed within the mine to accommodate stationary main belt conveyors that are used to transfer the mined ore from the mine. As the mine development progresses, roadways are branched off from these main haulageways to lesser roadways and finally to rooms which are generated specifically to retrieve the remaining coal or ore. Although the mine layout and development is somewhat dictated by the configuration of the particular seam, the roadways are typically developed perpendicular to the main haulageway.
As the network of lesser roadways is developed, separate stationary conveyors, known as panel conveyors, are installed therein to convey the mined ore to the main conveyor located in the main haulageway. Typically, those panel conveyors consist of short sections of conveyors that can be connected together to expand the conveyor network as needed.
In a preferred practice, a mobile conveyor may be used to convey the mined ore directly from the mining machine to the panel conveyors or to the main conveyor itself. Mobile articulated conveyors of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,997 and 4,852,724, can move under self-propulsion along mine roadways and around corners while receiving the mined ore directly from the mining machine and discharging it onto the main conveyor or one of the attending panel conveyors. Mobile articulated conveyors generally employ two different methods of discharging the mined ore onto an attending stationary conveyor. More specifically, the mobile articulated conveyor may be adapted to tram onto an elevated roadway track mounted directly above the stationary conveyor or, in the alternative, may be adapted to run beside the stationary conveyor by employing a "bridge" conveyor to transfer the ore from the discharge end of the mobile articulated conveyor to the attending section of stationary conveyor.
It is desirable, whenever there is sufficient height and clearance available, to arrange the mobile articulated conveyor to tram directly onto the attending stationary conveyor and thereby eliminate the maintenance problems associated with the use of the bridge conveyor. However, a problem which exists with that method of discharge is that of effecting a transition from discharging particulate matter onto the panel conveyor from a previous discharge position onto the main conveyor. Specifically, because the mobile conveyor's discharge follows a path which is not at a 90 degree angle, but rather "cuts the corner" on a fixed radius between the main and panel conveyor belts, at the juncture between the belts, there is no means provided for receiving the mobile conveyor's discharge as it trams between the belts. Accordingly, one practice which could be employed is to allow the miner to proceed in advance of the flexible conveyor and, instead, use shuttle cars to temporarily transport coal thereto. However, in that method an additional piece of expensive machinery is needed. Thus, the need exists for an auxiliary conveying system that enables a mobile articulated conveyor to relocate its discharge end between intersecting stationary conveyors without the use of a bridge conveyor and thereby provide the mining machine with sufficient additional maneuverability to do the mine development required to expand the network of stationary conveyors without the need for an additional mining machine.